This disclosure relates to a gas turbine engine, and more particularly, a stator vane assembly and inner shroud.
One type of gas turbine engine includes a core supported by a fan case. The core rotationally drives a fan within the fan case. Multiple circumferentially arranged stator vanes are supported at an inlet. Stator vanes are also used at various stages of a compressor section of the core.
The stator vanes are supported, by an outer case, for example, in a manner to limit displacement of the vanes. The vanes are subjected to vibratory stresses by the supporting structure. That is, loads are transmitted through the outer case or other support structure to the stator vanes. Typically, the stator vanes are constructed from titanium, stainless steel or a high grade aluminum, such as a 2618 alloy, to withstand the stresses to which the stator vanes are subjected. Inner ends of the stator vanes are secured to an inner shroud. The inner shroud is typically forged and then machined, or molded from a composite material. Typically, the inner shroud is a unitary annular structure. The inner ends of the stator vanes may be brazed to the inner shroud, in which case a material such as titanium or stainless steel must be used for the vanes to withstand the vibratory stresses transmitted by the inner shroud to the inner ends of the stator vanes.
One type of front architecture supports the stator vanes relative to inner and outer shrouds using rubber grommets. A fastening strap is wrapped around the circumferential array of stator vanes to provide mechanical retention of the stator vanes with respect to the shrouds. The inner shroud is provided by a unitary annular structure in this configuration.